COSTA MESA- Vanguard women's soccer came away with a tidy 2-1 win against Chaminade, Thursday afternoon at VU Soccer Field. The Lions opened the scoring through
Kate Burns in the 18th minute, but the Silverswords shot back just five minutes later for a 1-1 halftime score. It was
Jennifer Alvarez who nailed her fourth goal of the campaign, and third career game winner to put VU back in the win column after Monday's defeat to Hawaii Hilo.
"Our focus was on who we are as a team," shared Head Coach
Emily Reynolds after the victory. "We wanted to play with courage. The team gave their whole heart today and I'm very proud of them."
The Blue and Gold improve to 4-5-1 and 2-1 in the Pacific West Conference play. Chaminade still claw for its first win of the season, dropping to 0-10-1 and 0-4 in league action.
The Lions put up a season-best 29 shots with 14 on targets. CUH's Sydney Bakritzes required a career-best 12 saves.
What Happened? Chaminade started the match with a decent spell in VU territory as a torrent of long throws kept VU pinned in their own corner. A note that would later develop for the Silverswords eventual equalizer.
VU finally grasped control of the game and sprayed its first shot toward the CUH net in the seventh minute as Alvarez scraped a lofted strike over the crossbar. Burns went from distance on the next three successive VU tries, with an effort in the ninth minute coming from the top of box, and procuring the first Chaminade save of the afternoon.
The opening goal sprouted from a free kick at the right corner of the penalty box, with Alvarez stepping over the opportunity. The freshman raced her shot over the three-woman CUH wall, with a fast-moving effort hurled toward the Silversword goal. Bakritzes could not hold onto to the free-kick toward goal, and the failed catch attempt dropped to Burns, who slammed the ball home for 1-0.
It was the third goal of the season for Burns and sixth of her career.
The Lions continued their forward momentum, but the Silverswords struck back, netting a goal against the run of the play to bring the match back on terms. The opportunity came from three consecutive throw-ins from the left wing to help them inch toward VU's penalty box. The third throw managed to break past VU's block, as CUH's Kenna Kiefer dropped her shoulder and turned past her defender. The senior swept a cross low, hard across the face of goal, and
Grayton Normand's parry was pushed only as far as Kaiya Smith, who tapped in the sitter at the back post to make it 1-1.
Kaylee Cuttress came on in the 24
th minute and nearly bagged the go-ahead goal within five minutes of stepping onto the pitch. The transfer had the last key chance of the half, after combining with
Aneala Sibayan to find a near one-versus-one at the right side of the box, but flared her shot high off the near-post side netting.
The second half belonged to VU, as they put out 19-shots to the Silverswords four, and forced nine saves from Bakritzes.
It didn't take long for the Lions to grab the winner, as VU started with a cluster of chances.
Kalena Yamashita steered a long-range shot from left back, cutting in onto her right foot and putting the effort over. Vanguard also had a sharp counterattack between with Alvarez and
Abby Trujillo, with Alvarez cushioning a well-placed through and Trujillo lacing the shot to the corner to pick out another Silversword save.
Alvarez's winner was in the 52th minute, after VU slowly squeezed the space to camp the left wing deep within CUH's half. Alvarez received the ball from the touchline, slipped past one defender, and won a 50-50 duel with the next to keep the ball at her feet and position the angle for the shot. Then the freshman carved a worldie from deep outside the box, curling her shot well-past the far post, before it bent back and dipped into the top right corner.
The game's final 30 minutes were all Blue and Gold, as a 2-1 lead with majority of the possession kept the Silverswords chasing the match. Chaminade did create three straight shots following VU's second-half goal, but were outshot 14-1 for the remainder of the match. The Lions best chances to add a third, was the 56
th minute long-range strike from
Lindsey Hiraki that slapped against the crossbar, Cuttress's deep try to the top left corner that Bakritzes tipped over for a corner kick, and
Audrey Swanis's attempt in the 72
nd minute, after the fullback crashed in at the back post to poke a shot into the gloves of Bakritzes.
What's Next? Senior Day is on the way as VU face Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, October 3 with an early morning 8 a.m. kickoff at VU Soccer Field.
